First Second Books publishes great graphic novels.

7 posts categorized "Who's on First Second?"

October 08, 2013

It's October 8th, 2013, the day Paul Pope's BATTLING BOY is cut loose into the world.

Years ago, before launching First Second Books, before I knew Paul's work, I was at Jim Hanley's Universe, one of America's greatest comics shops, at the foot of the Empire State Building, with Jessica Abel. She was introducing me to some of the luminaries of the indie comics world, some of whom would become star authors under First Second. Among the books she piled in my arms was a self published set of "THB" and "100%" and "Heavy Liquid"—and for me, the revelation of Paul Pope.

What his fans already knew was my thrill to discover. This strangely incandescent, charismatic brushstroke, the high-octane, crazy kinetic energy of it, and the oddly familiar sense in his characters and his storytelling, even when they involved First Contact with an alien life form through an addictive ink drug... I was hooked.

What mesmerized me with Paul's work, everything I could find, was the magical confluence of the three great schools of comics: the American, the European, and the Asian, in some new blend I had never found before. Here was the heir of Jack Kirby, but infused with a Manga sensibility owing to Tezuka, and an artistry steeped in Hugo Pratt and Moebius. And then of course something unique and fresh, reverent and rebellious and exciting of my senses.

I'm writing this some years later, late on October 7th, 2013, in a hotel room in Chicago. Down the hall, Paul Pope is in another room, typing up answers to an interview for The Hollywood Reporter. Tomorrow morning, I'm taking him to three rapid-fire school visits before we head to Atlanta and then to DC the next day, and then head back to New York in time for Comic Con. Paul is at the start of his author tour, for his magnificent BATTLING BOY.

Yes, there's plenty of hype surrounding this one. But tonight at dinner, that's not what Paul was interested in. He was wrestling with a story problem in the later part of BATTLING BOY 2, involving a magical T-shirt, and a relationship development between two characters.

What a treat to work with someone like Paul. Comics are being transformed, superb pictures are taking form, heroes are being born. And I'm so very, very, very happy you get to start reading them.

February 01, 2007

From the first second I knew First Second had to be highly international. That's meant fostering a talent pool from all around the world, and putting every possible care into our translations. My brother Alexis works at the U.N. as a translator, and many of you have read his work on First Second projects, from DEOGRATIAS to VAMPIRE LOVES. Several reviewers have already praised his passionate and meticulous translations, but the best success here is his invisibility. Many of our foreign projects are finding considerable audiences in the U.S. thanks in part to his work behind the scenes to ensure the reading experience doesn't feel clunky to an English speaking reader, while conveying the voice and spirit of the original.

With Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda, First Second was presenting a major work about that genocide, but also opening up our line of political/historical Graphic Novels, with many more forthcoming. For many of these projects, Alexis Siegel also contributes an introduction or an afterword, to put the work in context for American readers. You'll see more of these excellent pieces in LAIKA by Nick Abadzis and NOTES FOR A WAR STORY by Gipi, both coming this Fall. To find out about any titles beyond that, you'll have to ask him for a special security clearance badge.

January 31, 2007

Hilary runs her color farm "Sky Blue Ink" out of Tennessee, but her assistants aren't only from her neighborhood; they live as far as England and New Zealand. She's taught and researched color theory and color therapy, and you'll be seeing lots more of her magic in coming seasons. Her style and palette change with each new artist's line work. With the majority of First Second books, color is as essential as a movie's soundtrack.

January 26, 2007

Danica actually wore that red cape when she won the Isotope Award for her mini-comic A LATE FREEZE. When she isn't working on her own projects, she's busy designing a zillion things for :01, including some of our best covers.

January 25, 2007

Some of you ask who is behind FIRST SECOND... If you've been wandering around this website, you've met me, and Simon Boughton and Lauren Wohl at the FAQ page... Let's continue then, and introduce some of the teammates...

KAT KOPIT
"Signals Office"
Kat came onboard as an editorial assistant, and has become invaluable, as many of you know who work in any way with First Second -- without her it would be train wrecks daily.